Ritter Sport

Company: Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG

Brand value: US$706 million

Headquarter city: Waldenbuch

Category: Food and Dairy

Year formed: 1912

Ritter Sport is a range of chocolate sold in a distinctive square pack, originally designed to fit into the pocket of a sports jacket, and now the shape is one of its distinguishing features in a crowded confectionary market. There are 25 standard varieties, each sold in a different-colored pack, as well as seasonal and occasional specials. The crowdsourced “Unicorn Glitter” bar launched as a limited edition in 2016 was such a hit that the surge in demand crashed the online shop and led to a secondary trade in the bars on eBay. Ritter Sport was one of the first major chocolate producers to launch a vegan bar, and, at its flagship store in Berlin, allows shoppers to create their own customized Ritter Sport chocolate bar. It its communications, the brand’s tagline is “Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut”, which translates as “Square. Practical. Good.” The brand has traditionally relied on television to build awareness but is now a big user of out-of-home space in train stations, with its wordplay on posters and station stairs lending commuters some amusement. Ritter Sport also uses social media to great effect, promoting special editions through Instagram and Facebook. Ritter Sport is sold in 90 countries, and the company is privately owned.